Josh Reynolds on his battle with Benji Marshall to win the starting five-eighth spot at Wests Tigers

Josh Reynolds is hellbent on claiming the Tigers five-eighth spot for Round 1, saying he will take whatever steps are necessary to beat out Benji Marshall.

Wests Tigers Josh Reynolds at St Charles Primary School, Ryde. Picture: Brett Costello

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Wests Tigers five-eighth Josh Reynolds isn’t going to lie about his ambitions: he wants to wear the No. 6 jersey. Desperately.

The only problem for Reynolds is club legend Benji Marshall has the exact same goal.

The pair has been in a pre-season duel, and Reynolds says even though the veteran playmaker might say he is willing to play anywhere, he knows Marshall only has eyes for one spot.

“Someone isn’t going to feel the greatest about [missing out] but Benji wouldn’t be himself if he wasn’t like that.” Reynolds said.

“It’s very different for me, at the Dogs I was cemented at five-eighth. It’s a good challenge, it really is.

“You can’t be going into a season saying ‘I don’t mind what happens’. You’d be lying to yourself if you said you don’t want to start in that position. That’s why you play.

“I think people know for me and for him, we will do whatever it takes for the team but that’s our preferred position.”

Reynolds only played five matches last season. Photo by Matt King/Getty Images.

Despite the overt declaration from both players, Reynolds says there is no bad blood between the two players.

“Everyone probably thinks we go to training and we don’t talk that it’s me against him but it’s the total opposite,” he said.

“He’s done a lot in the game and I learn a lot off him. Even though we are going for the same position, it’s hard for me to go in there and be like ‘I’m off him I don’t want to talk to him’”.

New coach Michael Maguire is yet to finalise his spine and will use his side’s only trial against the New Zealand Warriors to make a call on what his halves combination will look like.

“We still don’t know, I think it will have a fair bit to do with the trial coming up. We’re both getting in our little stints in there in training,” Reynolds said.

Can Reynolds lock down the starting spot? Picture by Brett Costello.

Reynolds was also quick dismiss any talk that Marshall could be shifted into the centres if he comes up second to Reynolds in the halves battle.

He did give one clue as to who will get first crack at hooker. Reynolds says if he has to play utility role, it is likely to be as a back-up to club veteran Robbie Farah.

“I’m not sure whether I go back into the washing machine at hooker to give Robbie a break every now and then,” he said.

“He’s looking pretty good, so I’m not sure if he’ll even need a break. But I’d love to be part of the team and have some sort of input.”

Marshall made a stirring return to the Tigers last season. AAP Image/Joel Carrett.

While the duel between Marshall and Reynolds is keeping the playmakers on their toes, Reynolds says their halves partner Luke Brooks is unfazed by the five-eighth contest unfolding before him.

So much so, he hasn’t even demanded to know who he’ll be playing alongside of in season 2019.

“You’d think that [he’d want to know] but he is the most chilled person you ever meet,” he said.

“If it was me I’d be like ‘far out give me something, just give me some clarity’. That’s what I love about him, he has a cool head. I just look at him and go ‘how don’t you care about that?’”.

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Originally published as Josh Reynolds on his battle with Benji Marshall to win the starting five-eighth spot at Wests Tigers